AFRICA: Cosmos Centre Ghana

After a long and weary bus journey we arrived at about 11p.m. in Dormaa Ahenkro and were met by Patrice and Ayala with dinner in hand. Due to engine problems the journey had taken 14hours so this late meal was sincerely appreciated.
Dormaa Ahenkro is a beautiful rural village with a wonderful tranquility. Cosmos Centre carried this peace to the full.
Cosmos Centre is a home for children with Special needs - in fact children with severe disability.
The centre was started over 10 years ago by Cosmos, Francis Kyere Boakye and he continues to support the work here from Sweden.
I found here the most wonderful teacher, Ayala, Joseph Ankamah - patient, kind and gentle, who does a great deal with the children. He teaches them with great patience step by step including rhythms in song and verse and gesture, maths with blocks and abacus, weaving and wonderful Ghanian stories - in a true Waldorf manner. A natural talented teacher with a great interest in farming too. He taught me much about the plants he grew, all the healing qualities.
The greatest challenge is trying to get the Ghanian people to accept that these children with special needs have a place in society and deserve care.
There is building underway but slow due to lack of funds but this building would house and care for many more children out there in Ghana needing special care.
The general feeling was that here children who would otherwise be traumatised by their restrictions were happy, content and so very caring to one another. Mostly non-verbal but sensing and helping each other wherever they could.
The two Mamas served us well with care and wonderful meals. We arrived with "flu" and left healed.
THANK YOU COSMOS CENTRE.